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☆ Former Indiana congressman sentenced to 22 months in prison for insider trading convictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A former Indiana congressman was sentenced Tuesday to 22 months in prison for his insider trading conviction for making illegal stock trades while working as a consultant and lobbyist. Steve Buyer, 64, whose congressional career stretched from 1993 to 2011, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court by Judge Richard M. Berman. The judge also ordered Buyer to forfeit $354,027, representing the amount of illegal gains, and to pay a $10,000 fine. Defense lawyers had requested home confinement and community service as a punishment while prosecutors urged a three-year prison sentence. Buyer was ordered to report to prison on Nov. 28.

Persons: Steve Buyer, Judge Richard M, Berman, Bill Clinton's, Navigant, Guidehouse, I've Organizations: Republican, Persian Gulf, Veterans ' Affairs, Mobile, Sprint Locations: Noblesville , Indiana, Manhattan, Indiana, New York City, Persian

Known as a hard-liner, Raisi seemingly sought to strike a diplomatic tone. Raisi acknowledged that Iran and Russia have long had strong ties, including defense cooperation. But he denied sending weapons to Moscow since the war began. “If they have a document that Iran gave weapons or drones to the Russians after the war," he said, then they should produce it. Raisi has sought, without evidence, to portray the popular nationwide demonstrations as a Western plot.

Persons: —, Ebrahim Raisi, Joe Biden, Raisi, “, ” Raisi, Bashar Assad, Israel, Mahsa, ” Organizations: Monday, General Assembly, United, United Arab Emirates Locations: Russia, Ukraine, United States, Iran, Qatar, Moscow, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Persian, Tehran, Yemen

☆ A US Air Force spy plane built in 1962 had to make an emergency landing in Qatar. It's the latest in a string of incidents for the ancient fleet of aircraft.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A US Air Force spy plane flying for the 55th Wing made an emergency landing in Qatar on Monday. The US Air Force did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. It eventually joined the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base outside of Omaha in 1981 and is still flying more than 40 years later. The Air Force stands behind its incident-prone fleetThe Air Force says it plans to make upgrades to its RC-135 fleet, expecting the planes to fly for another 20 to 30 years. "I have complete confidence in flying this aircraft," 55th Wing vice commander Col. David Berg told the World-Herald in 2018.

Persons: it's, —, Michael Andrews, Steve Lynes, Qatar —, Heather Wilson, Wilson, Frank Strickler, Al Udeid, We've, Todd Feeback, John Rauch, David Berg Organizations: US Air Force, Wing, Service, Boeing, OMAHA, Air Force, Soaring, KC, US Air Forces Central Command, Herald, Offutt Air Force Base, Air, FAA, American Airlines, Al Udeid, Base, Kansas City Star, Tribune, Getty, Air Force Safety Center Locations: Qatar, Wall, Silicon, Bahrain, Nebraska, Omaha, England, Greece, Japan, Persian

To boost his profile, Zuberi also donated to, or hired, several Washington advocacy groups, lobbying shops and public relations firms. Those officials included Olson, former NATO supreme commander Gen. Wesley Clark and former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement John Sandweg. The trio lobbied U.S. officials after returning from their Doha meeting with Qatari officials, the FBI said. He added that one of his greatest regrets was recruiting Allen into the effort because of the subsequent negative publicity. Allen has denied any wrongdoing but stepped down as president of the Brookings Institution, a prestigious Washington think tank, amid the FBI investigation.

Persons: —, Richard G, Olson, Obama, Imaad Zuberi, Judge G, Michael Harvey, Harvey, Prosecutors, Evan Turgeon, Turgeon, Zuberi, Harvey's, “, Joe Biden, Zubari, Wesley Clark, John Sandweg, John Allen, Allen, strategize, ___ Mustian Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S, State, Prosecutors, FBI, Justice Department's, Press, NATO, . Immigration, Allen, Brookings Institution Locations: Persian, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Zuberi, Washington, Doha, U.S, New York

However, Iran faces a new challenge from within as the one-year anniversary of the nationwide protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody approaches this Saturday. Today, Iran faces Western sanctions after the collapse of its 2015 nuclear deal. These are Iranian money.”From the Iranian side, claiming victory has been as important as freeing the cash. “This money belongs to the Islamic Republic of Iran," Raisi said through a government translator about the swap. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian suggested resuming negotiations over a roadmap that could see Tehran return to aspects of the nuclear deal, which the Islamic Republic walked away from last year.

Persons: Carter, ”, Walter Mondale, Matthew Miller, Behzad Nabavi, Ebrahim Raisi, Raisi, —, Ronald Reagan, Hossein Amirabdollahian, “, Matthew Lee, Jon Gambrell Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Embassy, . State Department, ”, NBC News, United Nations, U.S, Pentagon, Iranian, Islamic, Associated Press, The Associated Press, Gulf Cooperation, AP Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Washington, Tehran, Iran, United States, Islamic Republic, South Korea, Qatar, U.S, Algier Accords, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Today, U.S ., Strait, Hormuz, Persian Gulf, Russia, Ukraine, Gulf

☆ U.S. Deepens Security Pledge to Bahrain, an Adversary of Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Vivian Nereim | More About Vivian Nereim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Biden administration signed a security agreement with the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain on Wednesday, deepening its commitment to defend the authoritarian country from attacks. The format of the agreement could serve as a template for other Gulf Arab governments that have demanded stronger security guarantees from the United States, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Bahrain — an island nation that is home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet — has a particularly tense relationship with Iran, located across the Persian Gulf. Under the new agreement, if the kingdom were attacked, the United States would consult with the Bahraini government and determine the best way to “confront the ongoing aggression,” said a senior Biden administration official, who briefed journalists on the condition of anonymity. One of the provisions in the agreement allows Bahrain and the United States to invite other countries to join the pact, the official said.

Persons: —, ” Organizations: Biden, United Arab, Navy’s, Bahraini Locations: Bahrain, United States, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Persian, United

☆ Opinion | A Saudi-Israel Deal Would Bring Big Benefits — to the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Hussein Ibish | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Yet neither Saudi Arabia nor Israel appears to be showing much urgency in getting the deal done, while the Biden administration has made it a clear priority. The main advantage the triangular deal offers the United States is a tightened grip over three vitally important waterways around the Arabian Peninsula: the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Suez Canal, which links the Red and Mediterranean Seas and connects Asia, Africa and Europe, is just as significant. At the other end of the Red Sea, a third key passageway, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, controls the entrance into the Red Sea leading to the Suez Canal and is similarly significant to global trade. It’s no accident that the only overseas Chinese military base is in Djibouti, just 68 miles from Bab el-Mandeb, or that Beijing invested billions of dollars in that country.

Persons: Biden, Bab Organizations: Beijing Locations: Saudi Arabia, Israel, Washington, United States, Hormuz, Suez, Mandeb, China, Asia, Africa, Europe, Djibouti, Bab el

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Greek shipper has pleaded guilty to a charge over it smuggling sanctioned Iranian crude oil and agreed to pay a $2.4 million fine, U.S. federal court papers seen Thursday by The Associated Press show. In July, the top commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s naval arm threatened further action against anyone offloading the Suez Rajan, with state media linking the recent seizures to the cargo’s fate. In its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iran regained the ability to sell oil openly on the international market. It also began a cat-and-mouse hunt for Iranian oil cargo — as well as series of escalating attacks attributed to Iran since 2019. China is believed to be a major buyer of Iranian oil, likely at a significant discount.

Persons: shipper, Tourkantonis, Mark Wallace, George W, Bush, “, ” Wallace, Biden, Suez Rajan, Donald Trump Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Associated Press, Navigation, U.S, Nuclear, Empire, United Nations, Nuclear Iran, AP, Suez, Chevron Corp, Revolutionary, Embassy, U.S . Navy, Iranian, “ Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Suez, Islamic Republic, Tehran, Washington, South Korea, Iran, U.S, Nuclear Iran, Persian, South, Singapore, Mexico, Houston , Texas, Athens, Greece, Gulf of Mexico, America, Hormuz, Swiss, Switzerland, Bataan, Strait, Gulf of Oman, China

☆ Faced With Evolving Threats, U.S. Navy Struggles to Change
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Eric Lipton | More About Eric Lipton | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

One, the T-38 Devil Ray, which can reach speeds of up to 90 miles per hour — faster than just about any other vessel in the Navy — was awaiting its next assignment. Alongside it was the Ocean Aero Triton, whose solar-power system allows it to operate for three months at a time without any need to refuel. He said he found enormous enthusiasm for the idea among frontline commanders in the Pacific and the Middle East. “We are trying to improve Navy power, but we need to do more than that: We need to reimagine Navy power,” he said in an interview this summer, just after retiring from the Navy. It is vital that we throw off old conventions.”

Persons: Ray, Navy —, Devil Ray, Admiral Selby, ” Organizations: Navy, Triton, Naval Research Locations: Asia, Persian, Bahrain, San Diego, Pacific

☆ Mohamed al-Fayed, Tycoon Whose Son Died With Diana, Is Dead at 94
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Robert D. Mcfadden | More About Robert D. Mcfadden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mohamed al-Fayed, the Egyptian business tycoon whose empire of trophy properties and influence in Europe and the Middle East was overshadowed by the 1997 Paris car crash that killed his eldest son, Dodi, and Diana, the Princess of Wales, died on Wednesday. His death was confirmed on Friday in a statement by the Fulham Football Club in Britain, of which Mr. Fayed was a former owner. Forbes estimated his net worth at $2 billion this year, ranking his wealth as 1,516th in the world. In a sense, Mr. Fayed was a citizen of the world. He held Egyptian citizenship but rarely if ever returned to his native land.

Persons: Mohamed al, Fayed, Dodi, Diana, Princess, Wales, Tropez Organizations: Fulham Football Club, Hotel, Harrods, Forbes Locations: Europe, Paris, Britain, London, Paris , New York, Geneva, St, Genoa, Italy, Cairo, Persian, North Africa, Americas

☆ A fierce naval battle 35 years ago shows how destructive another US showdown with Iran could get
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

More than 50 IRGCN and Iranian Navy personnel were killed, while the US lost one SeaCobra helicopter and its two crew members. After all, Iran has made significant changes to its naval forces and tactics over the past 35 years, becoming "much more asymmetric," according to Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and expert on naval operations. Iran's naval force now consists of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, known as the IRGCN, and the regular Iranian Navy, Clark told Insider. The Iranian Navy still primarily consists of frigates and corvettes, which operate outside the Gulf, and is much more like other conventional navies. Iranian Navy warship Sahand in Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz in April 2019.

Persons: Biden, Earnest Will, Chance, Samuel B, Roberts, Bryan Clark, Clark, Nadimi, Abu Musa Island, IRGC, Morteza, Kyle Jia Iran's, weren't, Paul Iddon Organizations: Service, US Navy, US, Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, US Naval Forces Central Command, Fleet, SS, Iranian Navy, Hudson Institute, Washington Institute for Near East, Iran's Navy, REUTERS, Getty, US Marines, US Marine Corps Locations: Persian, Iran, Wall, Silicon, China, Marshall, Iranian, Gulf, Strait, Hormuz, Tehran, Iraq, SS Bridgeton, Abu Musa, Handout, Persian Gulf, Soviet Union, Lebanon, Bataan

☆ Exploding drone boats aren't hard to beat, but Russia's weak defenses are letting Ukraine blow up its ships
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Ukraine's recent waterborne drone attacks have shed light on weaknesses in Russian defenses. Prior to the hits on Olenegorsky Gornyak and Sig, previous naval drone attacks have terrorized Russian ships in the Black Sea. United 24/Ukrainian government'Too many to take out'With the drone attacks showing no sign of stopping, the questions become how Russia will respond. And if Russia does ramp up its defenses, it's likely that Ukraine will scale up the number of its drone boats. Operating a group of drone boats, Clark added, is more difficult given water conditions, weather, and the potential to ram into unintended targets.

Persons: Sutton, Gornyak, haven't, they're, Bryan Clark, Ulf Mauder, Clark, Shaposhnikov, Peter the, KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV Organizations: Service, Sig, US Navy, Hudson Institute, Russia's, Getty, intel Locations: Wall, Silicon, Russian, Russia, Novorossiysk, Ukraine, Sevastopol, Ukrainian, US, Persian, Israel, Peter the Great, Japan, Vladivostok, AFP, Crimea

☆ William Friedkin’s Final Film to Premiere at the Venice Film Festival
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Kyle Buchanan | More About Kyle Buchanan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” follows the trial of a naval officer (played by Jake Lacy) who is accused of leading a mutiny against his unstable commander (Kiefer Sutherland). The story was first adapted for the 1954 film “The Caine Mutiny,” which was nominated for seven Oscars including best picture. Though that film and Wouk’s novel take place during World War II, Friedkin contemporized the story and relocated the action to the Persian Gulf. “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” is Friedkin’s 20th narrative film and his first since 2011’s “Killer Joe,” which starred Matthew McConaughey. In the interim, Friedkin directed a documentary, “The Devil and Father Amorth,” about a purported real-life exorcism.

Persons: William Friedkin, Friedkin, “, ”, Herman Wouk, Jake Lacy, Kiefer Sutherland, Joe, Matthew McConaughey, Amorth Organizations: Paramount, Showtime, Venice Film Locations: Venice, Persian

The team is pumping between 4,000 and 5,000 barrels of oil every hour, and has so far transferred more than 120,000 barrels to the replacement vessel carrying the offloaded oil, Gressly said. A potential spill from this vessel would be enough to make it the fifth largest oil spill from a tanker in history, a UN website said. The Red Sea is a vital strategic waterway for global trade. Video Ad Feedback Oil being removed from tanker near Yemen in Red Sea 02:29 - Source: CNNAfter The Safer is emptied, it must then be cleaned to ensure no oil residue is left, Gressly said. The Red Sea fisheries in Yemen could be “almost completely wiped out,” Rehkopf added.

Persons: CNN —, –, Yemen David Gressly, SMIT, Gressly, Bab, ” Gressly, “, ” David Rehkopf, ” Rehkopf, that’s, ”, Ahmed Nagi, ” Nagi, Nagi Organizations: CNN, United, Endeavor, UN, Yemen’s, HSA, FSO, Exxon, US Energy Information Administration, Systems, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Group Locations: Yemen, United Nations, Suez, Red, Alaska, Africa, Asia, Persian, Saudi, Stanford University School of Medicine . Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Brussels, Yemeni, Hodeidah

☆ South Florida ocean temperature tops 101 degrees Fahrenheit, potentially a record
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Fish swim around a coral reef in Key West, Florida on July 14, 2023. A buoy in Manatee Bay, Florida, showed an ocean temperature reading of over 101 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday night, the latest sign of record heat in the coastal waters. The existing record for the hottest ocean surface temperature is 99.7, which was reached in Kuwait Bay in the Persian Gulf. "These buoys that are inside Florida Bay — so that's to the north of the Florida Keys and to the South Florida peninsula — they're all in very shallow, murky, dark water," Berardelli told CNBC. "Because it's murky, and because it's contaminated with sediment, the water temperatures are reflective of the fact that darker surfaces absorb more heat."

Persons: Jeff Berardelli, Berardelli Organizations: Data, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Florida WFLA, Florida, CNBC Locations: Key West , Florida, Martin County , Florida, Manatee Bay , Florida, Kuwait Bay, Persian, Florida, South Florida

“We’re horrified that something like this could happen, not only to us, but to anyone,” Saffrine Duggan told her supporters. Former US fighter pilot Daniel Duggan is in custody in Australia pending extradition to the US on charges including that he trained Chinese military pilots. Courtesy Saffrine DugganTraining Chinese pilotsDuggan doesn’t deny training Chinese pilots, but he maintains they were civilians – plane enthusiasts seeking to improve their skills or prospective members of China’s then rapidly expanding aviation industry. And a spokesperson for New Zealand’s Defence Force confirmed to Reuters that four of its former military pilots had been recruited by the company. It’s the wrong type of approach and landing.”In its statement to CNN, TFASA denied teaching aircraft carrier approach and landing techniques to Chinese military pilots.

Persons: Daniel Duggan, Duggan, Duggan’s, “, ”, Saffrine, “ We’re, ” Saffrine Duggan, Paul Devitt, Duggan –, –, ” Duggan, Saffrine Duggan, TFASA, they’re, Duggan doesn’t, China’s, Glenn Kolomeitz, ” “ Dan, Richard Marles, It’s, Constant, Daniel Duggan's, Mike Burgess, Ben Hancock, ” Hancock, Hancock, hasn’t, Dan didn’t, “ TFASA, he’s, Xi Jinping, reunify, Joe Biden, Ng Han Guan, Xi, Donald Trump, “ Don’t Organizations: Australia CNN —, Marine Attack Squadron, Intelligence, Security, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Lithgow Correctional Centre, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC, US Marines, US State Department, of Defense Trade, Test Flying Academy of South, CNN, TFASA, Embassy, Former, Saffrine Duggan Training, Australian Defence Force, RAF, UK Defence Ministry, UK Armed Forces, Australia’s, New Zealand’s Defence Force, Reuters, Marles, ASIO, Buckeye, Marine Corps, US Navy, Aircraft, Training Squadron, US Department of Defense, Harrier, Getty, Pacific Locations: Brisbane, Australia, United States, Yuma , Arizona, China, Beijing, Lithgow, Sydney, Australian, Test Flying Academy of South Africa, Tasmania, South Africa, Former US, New South Wales, Persian, Asia, Townsville, Pensacola, Fla, Western, Taiwan, AFP

☆ Russia and Iran's 'unprecedented' military ties worried the US, but it's starting to look like Russia can't hold up its end of the deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Iran has supported Russia by providing it with arms to use in Ukraine. Kirby said "support is flowing both ways," with Moscow providing Tehran "an unprecedented level of military and technical support." As part of this burgeoning partnership, Iran expected to receive an unspecified number of Russian Su-35 jets, along with helicopters and even advanced S-400 air-defense systems. REUTERS/FARS NEWS/Ali ShayeganWhile Iran has never armed Russia to the extent it has in recent months, Moscow has sold Tehran considerable military hardware in the past. Paul Iddon is a freelance journalist and columnist who writes about Middle East developments, military affairs, politics, and history.

Persons: John Kirby, Kirby, Russian Su, Saeed Azimi, Hassan Rouhani, Azimi, Putin, Alexei Nikolsky, Abu, Russia's, Richard Moore, Ali Shayegan, haven't, Tehran weren't, Iranian Su, ATTA KENARE, Moore, William Burns, Burns, Paul Iddon Organizations: Service, National Security, Iranian MiG, Army Day, REUTERS, Sputnik, Gulf Cooperation Council, United Arab, GCC, Intelligence Service, Tehran, Soviet Union, Getty, UN, CIA Locations: Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Moscow, Tehran, Wall, Silicon, Iranian, Egypt, Aktau, Kazakhstan, Kremlin, United Arab Emirates, Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, Persian, Hormuz, British, UAE, FARS, Iraq, Soviet, Islamic Republic, AFP

☆ It’s Scorching in Iran, and There’s Less and Less Water to Help
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Vivian Yee | More About Vivian Yee | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For a month and 10 days of unrelenting summer heat, Sepideh, a physician in southern Iran, and her dentist husband have left the house only for work (and only in the mornings) and for groceries (and only when the fridge is utterly bare). At one point last week, her car’s dashboard thermometer read 57 degrees Celsius, about 135 degrees Fahrenheit. “Only 57 degrees!” she posted. A combination of widening poverty and rising heat is crushing much of southern Iran, where sprawling desert, joined with the humidity of the nearby Persian Gulf, is especially prone to heat waves and droughts intensified by climate change. Although the mercury was lower elsewhere in the country, the misery has still been great.

Persons: Iran’s, Kaveh Madani Locations: Iran, Persian, United Nations

☆ Russia and Ukraine just turned much of the Black Sea into a dangerous no man's land
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged threats this week to ships sailing through the Black Sea. The Kremlin then went much further, warning it may attack any vessels it believes are bound for Ukraine, effectively turning the Black Sea into a no man's land. They added that Moscow even published a video claiming to have detected and detonated an alleged Ukrainian sea mine. "Our information indicates that Russia laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports. Turkish-flagged bulker TQ Samsun, carrying grain under UN's Black Sea Grain Initiative, transits Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey July 18, 2023.

Persons: Biden, Adam Hodge, António Guterres, —, Matthew Miller, Lasalle, Mark Duncan, Washington didn't Organizations: Service, United Nations, AP, White, Security, REUTERS, Black Sea Initiative, UN, US State, US Naval Institute Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Wall, Silicon, Kremlin, Odesa, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Crimea, Azov, Samsun, Istanbul, Turkey, Iran, Persian, Iraq, Hormuz, Kuwait, Soviet, Iraqi, American

☆ Drought imperils Iraq's water buffalo and a child's way of life
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Alaa Al-Marjani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Petting a water buffalo before tying a fodder bag around its neck, Mustafa Ahmed tends his father's herd in Iraq's southern province of Najaf where his family have raised animals for generations but lack of water now threatens their livelihood. Iraq forms part of the "Fertile Crescent", land sweeping from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf which has been farmed for thousands of years. But the landscape has been devastated by upstream damming of Iraq's two main rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, lower rainfall trends and decades of conflict. Ahmed's father, Ahmed Abdul Hussein, said the dire water shortage in their home Al-Mishkhab district is forcing him to sell their animals one by one - heartbreaking for his son. Reuters spoke to six families of herders in Najaf province who all said they have had to sell animals or have had livestock die over the last months.

Persons: Mustafa Ahmed, Ahmed Abdul Hussein Organizations: Reuters Locations: Najaf, Iraq, Persian, Mishkhab

☆ US orders deployment of fighter jets and Navy destroyer to Middle East in response to Iranian activities
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Haley Britzky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered F-35 and F-16 fighter jets deployed to the Middle East, as well as the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, in response to Iranian activities in the Strait of Hormuz. The deployments come after two incidents earlier this month in which Iranian Navy ships attempted to seize merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. The US also bolstered its forces in the Middle East in May after destabilizing actions from Iran in the Persian Gulf. “[The] United States will not allow foreign or regional powers to jeopardize freedom of navigation through the Middle East waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz,” National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said at the time. He added that there is “simply no justification” for Iranian actions to interfere, harass or attack merchant ships.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Thomas Hudner, Sabrina Singh, ” Singh, “, Strategic Communications John Kirby Organizations: CNN, US, Defense, US Central Command Area, Pentagon, Iranian, US Navy, Richmond, ” National Security, Strategic Communications Locations: Strait, Hormuz, “, Gulf of Oman, Iranian, Iran, The, Persian, States

☆ 4 major fighter-jet deals could reshape the Middle East's biggest militaries for decades to come
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Middle Eastern countries have for decades been major buyers of advanced fighter jets. Four potential deals involving Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Egypt show that the trend will continue. Four looming acquisitions by Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Egypt show that this trend will not change any time soon. Egypt's EaglesEgyptian Air Force MiG-29s during an exercise in Sudan in May 2021. While the Russian jets couldn't exchange data with Egypt's US-made aircraft, Cairo hoped they could operate as an "air force within an air force" and partially redress its limited air-to-air capabilities.

Persons: Cuneyt, MURAD, Erdogan, Mehmet Kaman, Recep Tayyip Erdogan's, Biden, Sen, Bob Menendez, hasn't, Iran's, Vladimir Putin, Ebrahim Raisi, ALEXANDR DEMYANCHUK, it's, —, Iran hasn't, ATTA KENARE, Mohammed Reza Ashtiani, Iraq's, KARIM SAHIB, Saddam Hussein's, Ali Mohammed, KARI, ASHRAF SHAZLY, Derek Seifert, Frank McKenzie, Israel, Paul Iddon Organizations: Service, United Arab Emirates, Dassault Rafales, Dassault, Vipers, NATO Air Policing, Anadolu Agency, Getty, US, Turkish Aerospace Industries, Getty Images, NATO, Senate Foreign Relations, SPUTNIK, Army Day, Iranian Parliament's National Security, Foreign, Iranian Defense, Rafale, ISIS, Getty Images Iraq, Thales Ground, AIM, Meteor, Egypt's Eagles Egyptian Air Force, Eagles, US Air Force, US Central Command Locations: Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Wall, Silicon, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Poland, Ankara, Syria, Greece, Samarkand, Getty Images Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Soviet, US, Tehran, AFP, Iranian, Persian, Baghdad, France, South Korea, Czech, Iraqi, Balad, Sudan, Qatar, Cairo, Derek Seifert Egypt

☆ Iran accuses U.S. Navy of defending fuel smuggling in Gulf incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, July 10 (Reuters) - An Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commander accused the U.S. Navy on Monday of defending fuel smuggling in the Gulf by trying to interfere when Iran intercepted a ship last week. On July 7th, Iran's Fars news agency reported that the Revolutionary Guards had seized a vessel carrying 900 tons of smuggled fuel with 12 crew members, following a court order. The incident was one of several involving Iranian forces and Gulf shipping last week. Chevron denied the tanker was involved in a collision and said it had not been notified of legal proceedings or court orders by Iran regarding the ship. Reporting by Dubai Newsroom Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ramazan Zirrahi, Iran's, Tim Hawkins, Peter Graff Organizations: Iranian Revolutionary Guards, U.S . Navy, Revolutionary Guards, Navy, NADA, . 5th Fleet, Iranian, Richmond, Chevron, Dubai, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Iranian, Gulf, Iran, Persian, Fars, Bushehr, Bahamas, U.S, Chevron

☆ Cheap oil from Iran is filling the hole left by Saudi Arabia and Russia's productions cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Iran has been selling more of its crude as Saudi Arabia and Russia dial back oil production. The nation sold 1.6 million barrels a day on average in May and June, notching a five-year record. The surge comes as Saudi Arabia, Russia, and other OPEC+ producers take major steps to dial back oil production, with Saudi Arabia extending its 1 million barrel-a-day production cut through August, and Russia recently vowing to slash its oil production by another half million barrels a day. Iranian suppliers have also offered steep discounts on crude relative to Saudi Arabia and even Russia, which has discounted its oil heavily since beginning its invasion of Ukraine. Iranian oil is sold around a $30 discount per barrel compared to competitors in the Persian Gulf, officials told the Journal.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Petro, Logistics, Wall Street Locations: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Persian, China, Syria, Venezuela, OPEC, Ukraine

☆ Investors can get a 7% yield with this 'hidden gem' bond fund
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Vanguard's Emerging Markets Bond fund (VEMBX) is a "hidden gem" and Vanguard's best foreign bond fund, according to Jeff DeMaso, founder and editor of the newsletter "The Independent Vanguard Adviser." "It's a well-run emerging markets bond fund that has topped its index (and the Morningstar peer group)," DeMaso said. The actively managed fund was up 43% from April 2016 through May 2023, compared with an 11% return for Vanguard's Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund (VGAVX) during the same time frame, according to DeMaso's calculations. The VGAVX seeks to track the performance of the Bloomberg USD Emerging Markets Government RIC Capped Index. Not only does VEMBX fly under the radar, but it has a stellar portfolio manager in Daniel Shaykevich, DeMaso said.

Persons: Jeff DeMaso, Morningstar, DeMaso, Daniel Shaykevich, Shaykevich Organizations: Vanguard's, Independent Vanguard, SEC, Morningstar, Vanguard's Emerging, Government, Index, Bloomberg, Markets Government RIC, Vanguard, BlackRock Locations: United States, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Columbia, Persian, Saharan Africa

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